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G. H. MUNSON & e. B. HAINES. COMBINED WRITING TABLET ANDGOPY HOLDER. No. 502,574.

Patented Aug. 1

lNl/ENTOBn A TTOBIVEYS.

Users STATES ATENT rricn.

GEORGE H. MUNSON AND GEORGE B. HAIN ES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO SAID MUNSON AND CHARLES A. B. PRATT, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED WRITING-TABLET AND COPY-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,574, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed October 11, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE H. MUNSON and GEORGE E. HAINES, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Combined IVriting-Tablet and Copy-Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combined writing tablet and copy holder, more especially designed for the use of stenographers and others to conveniently support the book or paper for taking notes, and to hold the book in proper position for copying notes, on the typewriting machine or otherwise.

The invention consists of a tablet provided with a holder pivoted to swing either to the front or back of the tablet and with a support also pivoted to swing to either the front or back of the tablet.

The invention further consists of a support pivoted on the sides of the tablet and keepers secured on the said tablet at the pivot ends of the said support, the said keepers being each provided with angular offsets to limit the outward movement of the support in either direction.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement showing the several parts in a closed position. Fig. 2 is a like view of the same showing the book opened up and in position for taking notes. Fig. 3 is a similar View of the improvement showing the device set up for copying the notes. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of part of the tablet, the support and one of the keepers; and Fig. 5 is an inverted face View of the keeper with the support therein.

The combined writing tablet and copy holder is provided with a tablet A made of wood, sheet metal or other suitable material and about of a size corresponding to that of $erial No. 448,549- (No model.)

the book B, usually employed by stenographers, for taking down notes.

On the upper end of the tablet A is pivoted a U-shaped bar 0, the pivots or trunnions of which engage corner brackets or clips D, secured on the side and top edges of the tablet, by means of screws or other suitable means. The bar O is arranged in such a manner that it can readily swing from the face of the tablet A to the back of the same with the time the tablet forming a convenient support for the book in either position.

- As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the book B is inserted on the bar 0 by passing one-half of the leaves under the bar 0 until the middle portion of the bar engages the crease in the middle of the book so that the latter can swing with the bar 0 as a fulcrum. At the same time the bar O permits of turning the various leaves of the book for conveniently taking notes on successive pages.

In order to support the tablet A in an inclined position, when copying the notes in the book, we provide a stand E preferably made of a piece of wire bent in U shape and adapted to fit around part of the side edges of the tablet, and the bottom edge, the side edges being slightly cut out as at A to make room for the side bars of the said stand E. Thus, when the tablet A is used for taking notes,

the said stand readily folds on partof the side 8 5 edges and the bottom edges of the tablet A so as to form no obstruction whatever to the party taking the notes.

The side arms of the stand E are formed with inwardly-projecting lugs or trunnions E engaging bushings F preferably made of metal and driven in the side edges of the tablet A, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 4. The stand E can thus swing conveniently in either direction so as to support a tablet and a book 5 thereon in either front or back position.

In order to limit the outward swinging motion of the support E, we provide keepers G secured by screws or other means to the side edges of the tablet A at the pivot point of the too stand E, as plainly illustrated in the drawings. Each support G is provided with an angular recess forming shoulders or projections G and G see Fig. 5, so as to limit the outward or swinging motion of the side arms of the stand Ein either direction. The keepers G by extending partly over the pivot end of the side arms of the stand E prevent the trunnions E from diseugagingtheir bearings in the bushings F attached to the tablet A, as above described. When the book 13 is inserted on the bar O and rests on the front of the tablet A, as shown in Fig. 1, then the stenographer or other person can conveniently open the book by swinging the pages outward, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The operator can conveniently turn the leaves as they are filled on one side with notes, and when finally the last page has been filled, then the operator swings the closed book onto the back of the tablet A, the bar 0 facilitating such movement as above described. The operator now can again begin on the first page and fill the same on the other side until the notes are taken, or the book filled. After the notes have been taken and the operator desires to copy the same on a typewriting machine or otherwise, then he swings the stand E outward from the book on the front of the tablet A, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The respective shoulder G or G limits the rearward swinging of the stand, so that the tablet is conveniently supported in an inclined position, and the book can readily be opened and its leaves turned so as to present the matter to be copied, conveniently in front of the operator. The pages turned will fall over the back of the tablet A and can, if desired, be pressed between the side arms of the stand E to securely hold the said leaves in position. Ordinarily however, it suffices to turn the leaves back and let the same hang down loosely on the back of the tablet. When it is desired to copy the matter on the other side of the pages, the book is turned to the back of the tablet and the stand E is swung in an opposite direction, to support the tablet in the proper position.

It will be seen that this device is very simple and durable in construction and forms a support for the book for taking notes or for copying the notes, as desired.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A combined writing tablet and copy holder comprising a tablet provided with a holder pivoted to swing either to the front or back of the tablet and with a support also pivoted to swing either to the back or front of the tablet, substantially as described.

2. A combined tablet and copy holder provided with a U shaped support pivoted to swing either to the front or back of the tablet, said supportbeing adapted to fit around the lower side edges and the bottom edge of the tablet, substantially as described.

3. A combined writing tablet and copy holder, comprising a tablet, a support for the said tablet and pivoted thereon, and keepers secured on the said tablet at the pivot ends of the said support, the said keepers being each provided with angular shoulders or offsets to limit the outward movement of the support in either direction, substantially as shown and described.

4. A combined writing tablet and copy holder, comprising a tablet, a support for the said tablet and pivoted thereon, keepers secured on the said tablet at the pivot ends of the said support, the said keepers being each provided with. angular shoulders or offsets to limit the outward movement of the support in either direction, and bushings secured in the said tablet at the side edges thereof, the said bushings being engaged by the pivot ends of the said stand, substantially as shown and described.

5. A combined writing tablet and copy holder, comprising a tablet, a bar pivoted near one end of the said tablet and mounted to swing to the front or rear of the same, the said bar being adapted to be engaged by the book, a stand made in U-shape and adapted to fold on the side edges and bottom edge of the said tablet, the ends of the support being formed with trunnions mounted to swing in bearings formed in the side edges of the tablet, and keepers secured to the side edges of the tablet at the pivot ends of the said support, the said keepers being each provided with angular offsets to limit the outward movement of the support in either direction, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE H. MUNSON. GEORGE B. HAINES.

WVitnesses:

THEo. G. IIOSTER, G. SEDewIcK. 

